Braking arrangement for the wheels of aircraft



May 19, 1942- l J. ian-:Renanv 2,283,687

lBRAKING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE WHEELS 0F AIRCRAF'L"v Filed June 22, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O m Ih eraser \NvENTOf @WMA J. MERCIER 2,283,687 BRAKING ARRANGEMENT FOR THE WHEELS 0F AIRCRAFT May 19, 1942.

Filed June 22, 195s 2 sheets-Sheet2 on Wvg/Mer' INrLNTo. @www @1 Euhm* ramas 19%, 1942 STATE Erica mismo AnaaNcrzMaNr Foa 'rnc sans or .-,f

Jean Mercier, Neuiliy-sur-Seine, France Application .Inne- 22, 1939, Serial No. 28mm@ rn Great prima; muy 1, reas (ci. iss- 152) i Ciaims.

Figure i shows partly in section an elevational side view of a wheel provided with a braking device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a corresponding front view;.

Figure 3 is a section on the line' CD of Figure 2;

Fig. 4' is a part sectional viewon the line fiof Fig. 3.

In the embodiment shown in these gures the wheel includes a wheel body l and a ange 2, connected together by bolts. The wheel is mounted on xed spindle 3 through bearings 4i so as to be able to turn freely about the axis of said spindle. A brake drum 5 is iixed to the body l of the wheel, on which are provided projections intended to receive this drum.v Thus, between body i and drum 5 hollow spaces l are provided which communicate with the atmosphere through openings 8 intended to facilitate cooling. Ventii lating vanes 9 4rigid with ange 2 improve the cirl culation ofair. The brake device comprises a circular support or torque frame l connected to the fixed spindle This frame Iii is provided with ilanges il (so that said support is of U- shaped section) having radial slots formed therein. Members l2 are slidably guided in these slots and consist of a steel bar, the intermediate part of which is of T-shaped section (Fig. 4) and the two ends of which are slidably guided in the slots Aof cheeks il and are engaged by the ends of an RVi-shaped leaf spring i3 the middle part of which bears against the inner ,side of the circular support it. Inside the U-shaped structure Ill- I l are disposed theinatable tube Id communicating with an external part l5 and six brake shoes |6.` These shoes are provided atr each end thereof with a notch adapted to'accommodate a rib of member l2 corresponding to the horizontal branch of the T corresponding to the middle portion of the member in question.

The operation is as follows: In order to apply the brake, the expansible tube I6 is inflated,v pushing the radially toward the brake drum- The friction against said drum tends to cause said shoes to turn together therewith but members l2 -interposed between the brake slices and fixed angularly with respect to thetorque framev I0, oppose this movement. Members I2 are displaced radially and slide in the slots of cheeks I I, y thus tensioning the spring it. When the brake is released, tube M is deflated. Springs I3 return members I2 toward the centre and, as said membersv i2 bear against the outer face of the ends of shoes i6, said shoes are also vmoved inwardly, n

out of contact with brake drum 5.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and eflicient embodiments or the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the' principle of the present invention as comprehended within the Ascope of the appendedclaims.

Having now` described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, 1.' In awheel brake device chiey adapted for use on aircraft or the like, a brake drum connected with the usualrotating part of the Wheel, a. relatively stationary support provided with a hollow space therein, an inflatable means in said hollow space, lbrake shoes located between said innatable means and brake drum, abutment, guiding and recoil means for said brake shoes, yieldingly connected to said support, and adapted to slide radially' with respect to this latter, said abutment, guiding and recoil means being further located between the` ends of two successive brake shoes and'bearing thereupon, said guiding means consisting of metal bars, having a mean section of substantially ir-sham.

2. In a device according to claim l, the further y feature residing in that the brake shoes have their ends provided with cut-away portions corresponding substantially to the T-shape, of the bars upon which they bear.

3. In a device according to claim l, the feature residing in this that said recoil means consist of spring members hooked to said bars.

4. A wheel brakey device chiefly adapted -for use on aircraft which comprises, in combination, a brake drum, a circular frame fixed with respect to said drum coaxially therewith, a plurality of brake shoes adapted to cooperate with said drum, an expansible annular tube interposed between said frame and said shoes so as to apply, when inflated, said shoes against said drum, members carried by said frame so as to be radially slidable with respect thereto and interposed between two adjacent brake shoes so as to prevent rotation thereof, and parts rigid with said members and bearing against the outer faces of said brake shoes at the ends thereof for transmitting an inward thrust to said brake shoes, and elastic means carried by said frame for urging saidlast mentioned members inwardly toward the center of said frame.

5. A wheel brake device chiefly adapted for use on aircraft which comprises, in combination, a brake drum, a circular frame fixed with respect to said drum coaxially therewith, a plurality of brake shoes adapted to cooperate with said drum, an expansible annular tube interposed between said frame and said shoes so as to apply, when inflated, said shoes against said drum, members carried by said frame so as to be radially slidable with respect thereto and each vinterposed between two adjacent brake shoes so as to shoes against'said drum, inilexible rods parallel to the axis of the wheel slidably engaged at their ends each in two of these notches so as to be radially guided with respect to said frame, each of said rods being interposed between two adiacent brake shoes so as to prevent rotation thereof, said shoes being provided at their ends with recesses in their outer faces, projections rigidly `carried by each of said rods adapted to engage in said recesses so as to permit of transmitting an inward thrust to said shoes, the outerl faces of said projections being so shaped-as to' lie withf c in the outer'surface of said brake'shoes, and

elastic means carried by said frame for urging lfsaid rods inwardly toward the center of said prevent rotation thereof, said shoes being provided, at their ends, with notches in their outer faces, projecting parts rigid with said members adapted to engage in said notches so as to permit of transmitting an inward thrust to said shoes,

the outer` faces of said projecting parts being so shaped as -not to project beyond the outer surface of the brake shoes, and elastic means carried by said frame for urging said members inwardly toward the center of said frame.

6. A wheel brake device chiefly adapted for use on aircraft which comprises. in combination, a brake drum, a circular frame fixed with respect to said drum coaxially therewith, a `plurality of brake shoes adapted. to cooperate with said d rum, an expansible annular tube interposed between said frame and said shoes so as to apply, when inflated, said shoes against said drum, rods parallel to the axis of the wheel movably carried by said frame so as to be radially slidably with respect thereto, each of said rods being interposed between two adjacent` brake shoes so as to prevent rotation thereof, said shoes being provided, at their ends, with notches in their outer faces, projecting wings rigid with each of said rods adapted to engage in said notches so as to permit of transmitting an inward thrust-to said shoes.l the outer faces of said wings being so shaped as not to project beyond the outer surface of the brake shoes, and elastic means carried by said f frame for urging said members inwardly toward the center'of said frame.

` 7. A wheel brake device vchiefly adapted forv use'on aircraft which comprises, in combination.

a brake drum, a circular frame fixed with respect to said drum coaxially therewith, said frame inclding two annular flanges, with radial notches in said flanges, a plurality of brake shoes adapted to cooperate with said drum, an expansible annular tube'interposed between said frame and said shoes so as to apply. when inflated, said 8. A wheel brake device 4chiey adapted for use on aircraftl which comprises, in combination, a brake drum, a'circular frame fixed with respect tosaid drum coaxially therewith, including a cylindrical part and flanges on either side thereof extending outwardly so as to form a structure of U-shaped axial section, with radial notches in said flanges, a plurality of brake shoes adapted to cooperate with said drum, an expansible annular" tube interposed between said frame and said shoes so as to apply, -when inated, said shoes against said drum, inflexible rods parallel to the axis of the wheel slidably engaged at their ends each in two of these notches, each of said rods being interposed between two adjacent brake shoes so as to prevent rotation thereof, said shoes being provided. at their ends, with recesses in their outer faces, projections rigidly carried by each' of said rods adapted to engage in said recesses so as to Apermit of transmitting an inward thrust to said shoes, the outer faces of saidprojections 'being so shaped as to liewithin the outer surface of said brake shoes, and M-shaped leaf springs located in the radial planes 'of said. rods, bearing, in their centralportions, against the inner face of the cylindrical part of said frame and each connected, at each end to the ends of the corresponding rod, respectively,

for urging said rod inwardly toward the center.

of said frame.

9. A wheel brake device, as claimed in claim 4, including projections on the wheel body and in which said brake drum is fixed on said projections so as to leave hollow spaces between body and drum, and openings in the lateral wall of the wheel to admit air to said hollow spaces,

' 10. A wheel brake device, as claimed in claim 4,

" includingI projections on the wheel body and in which said brake drum is fixed on said projections so as to leave hollow spaces between body and drum, and openings in the lateral wall of the wheel to admit 'air to said hollow spaces, and

Ventilating -vanes on the outside of the lateral wall of the wheel.

v JEAN MERCIER. 

